Steering wheel for automobiles



Dec. 4 1923. 1,476,347

T. J.' MARTIN STEERING WHEEL FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed May 1, 1923 Patented Der, d, l923 llil STEER/TNG WHEEL FOR AUTOMOBXLES.

.application led May 1,

To all wlw/m, t may concern:

Be it known that ll, TRUMAN J. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Steering Wheels for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement in steering wheels for motor vehicles.

lt has been found by physicians and others who have made a. study of the subject, that the circular steering wheel commonly in use, is one of the chief factors in` producing fatigue in driving motor cars. This is because the curvature of the wheel does not provide a natural grip for the hand or hands of the driver, but on the other hand requires an undue and practically continuous exertion on the part of the muscles controlling the hand, in retaining a grip on the circular wheel. This muscular action, after the driver has become experienced, becomes more or less unconscious. Nevertheless, the work done by the muscles, conscious or unconscious, after a continuous period of driving, (the length'of time depending upon the resistance of the driver) manifests its-elf in the form of fatigue.

With 'the circular type of wheel, a compara-tively constant grip must be maintained on it, in order to adord a hold for the hand, and to prevent the wheel being thrown to one side or the other by deflection of the frontl wheels of the vehicle, particularly where irreversible steering gearing is not utilized in the steering assembly.

rlhe main object of my invention is to provide steering wheel which, fromv its construction, will afford a natural grip for the hands, so that constant muscular edort will not be required to retain a controllable grip on the wheel.

rlhis l accomplish by making the sections of the of the wheel usually utilized in steering, straight, and at such inclinations as to allow the hands of the driver to engage the sections of the wheel with the least eff-ort and without requiring a bending or twisting of the wrist, or displacement of the hands from a normal position relatively to the wrists and arms.

further provide the portion of the wheel rear of the steering post, with a sub- A. ally straight bar, which is set rela- 1923. Serial No. 635,892.

`tively close to the post,'and which affords a scribed and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures of which,-

Figure 1 represents a view in perspectivel of a steering wheel constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 .represents a rea-1' elevational view thereof, particularly in section, and

Figure 3 represents an elevational View, partially broken away, looking at the wheel from the right hand'side thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the steering post is indicated at 5, the hub of the steeringwheel at 6, the trans verse arms of the spider of the wheel at 7, the forward arm of the spider at 8, and the rear arm of the spider at 9. The transverse arms 7 are of equal length, and as shown, may be curved upwardly'from the hub 6 to selected points such as l0, within the rim of the wheel, from which points they may extend straight out to the rim, as at ll. The curved portions of the arms may be reinforced by a web l2, as shown. rilhe forward arm 8 of the spider is of greater length than the rear arrnv 9 thereof, and entends forwardly and upwardly to a point 13, from which point it extends straight to Sil the wheel rim. T he rear arm 9 extends outwardly and upwardly at an angle to a point le from which point it may entend straight up, parallel with the anis of the hub, and join the rim.

The rim is preferably made of a dat metallic core l5, to which the arms of the spider connect, such core being covered on its upper and lower surfaces with relatively thin wooden facings 1S. 'll he straight outer end portions of rthev arms 7 may likewise be covered with wooden facings i8. That portion of the core which lies within the wheel rim to the rear of the steering post, may

lill@ ill@ driver, while the portion of the co-re occupying the remainder of the wheel rim may extend through from the periphery to the inner edge thereof. i

The portion or bar 19 of the wheel rim at the rear, i. e., nearest the driver, is substantially stra-ight and is relatively long, and as will be observed, is disposed relatively close to the hub of the wheel. This bar. may

serve as a rest for the portions of the armsI near the wrists, in addition tobeing capable of being grasped when desired, for steering purposes. By placing this bar near the hub of the wheel, not only may it afford a rest for the portions of the arms near the wrists, but it also increases the distance between the drivers seat and the Iwheel. This is of importance, since it may allow easier ingress and egress from the drivers seat, and it also allo-ws of a wheel of greater diameter being used without encroaching upon the'space which should be left between the drivers seat and the wheel. The present day practice is to use eighteen inch circular steering wheels. If a larger diameter of wheel is used, the rear portion of the wheel projects further toward the driver, and soi cramps the space that it is diicult for a -driver to get in and out of his seat behind the wheel. However, by constructing the wheel according to my invention, its diameter may be increased froIn fifteen to twenty-one inches, and the bar 19 will be no nearer the drivers seat than the rear portions of the round eighteen inch wheels now commonly in use. The advantage of the larger diameter wheel,

. of course, is that it allows a greater leverage, and tends to easier control of the front wheels, particularly rin the casev of heavy trucks'.

The covered portions of the lateral arms 7 of thewheel web lie in parallel relation with the bar 19, andmay, if desired, be grasped in steering, or, when hand grips 20 of the wheel are grasped, as indicated by the dotted line positions of t-he handsV in the drawing, these covered portions of the diametric arm afforded by the arms 17 serve as rests for the base of the hands of the driver.

The hand grips 20 are inclined toward the front of the wheel at such angles as to allow the hands to grip them naturally and with the least eii'ortVand without displacement of theV hands fromtheir normal ppsihe angles formed between the hand grips 20 and the diametric arm serve as stops for the bases of the thumbs whenone or the other of the hands is pulled toward the driver in 4 i hand grips 20, and at an angle to each other.vv Inuse, they hand grips 2() may lserve as means for grasping the wheel, or either ofl the resting arms or bars-may' serve this purpose, or the hands may be placed in stepped relation on the wheel, as best serves the de sire of the driver. In-any event, the gripsfor the hands are straight, andare so placed as to allow of a natural resting of the hands on the wheel, and a turning and control of the wheel without a tight or unduly strong grasp. This natural and easy control of the wheel by .means of the straight gripping portions of its rim, is augmented bythe provision and the disposition of the angle stops which serve as stopsor rests for the thumbsv and ends of the hands when in position on the wheel. s

Practice has demonstrated that with 'a wheel constructed according to'vmy invention, the objects of the invention are accom-l plished with any unusual degree of success, so that driving fatigue is relieved to a great extent. The foregoing detailed description is illustrative of the preferred form of my invention, and I do not desire any limitations 'or deductions to be made therefrom, but thel appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the rior art.-

aving thus described my invention what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

1. A steering wheel including a rim, a diametric resting arm, and a resting bar in parallel relation with the resting arm, the resting bar forming a part of the Wheel rim.

2. A steering wheel including va rim, a

3. A steering wheel including a rim composed of straight sections, one of whichis longer than theK others, the central portion of the longer section being disposed nearer the wheel hub than the remaining portions of the rim. .g

4. A steering wheel including a rim, a diametric resting arm, a resting bar in parallel relationA with the resting arm, va'nd straight portions forming parts of the rim,

arranged at the ends of the diametric resting arm and the resting bar, at angles thereto to form stops for the hands of the operator.

5. A steering wheel including a rim having a, straight bar portion forming a part of the rim, the portions of the rim at the ends of the bar being straight and arranged aft angles to the bar to form stops for the hands of the operator.

6. A steering Wheel including a, rim composed of straight portions of such size as to accommodate. at least one hand of the operator of the Wheel, the' straight portions of the rim being arranged at such angles to each other as to form stops for the hands of the operator.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature.

DR. TRUMAN J. MARTIN.

Witness i MINNIE H. BECKER. 

